Motor Won't Turn Over

[CarRacer]

Finished up swapping in the rebuilt motor today. Tried to get it fired up and didn't have any luck.

The starter just clicks. I pulled the starter and jumped power to it. Starter spun fine. I double checked my grounds and everything is fine.

I tried to turn the motor over with a breaker bar and it wouldn't budge. The starter is engaging, but the motor is bound up and will not turn. The motor turned over fine when I was doing the timing belt installation. I didn't try to rotate it after installing the tranny.

I've resigned myself to pulling the tranny and seeing if that frees it up. I think the game plan is to pull the tranny, get the downpipe back on and try firing up the motor without the transmission.

Any simple fixes I may be missing?

 

[turbowop]

How you gonna fire up the motor without the transmission? That's what the starter mounts to. Unless you have a spare bell housing you can bolt on temporarily.

 

[GVR4_1057]

Does the clutch actuate properly? Did you change flywheels?

 

[CarRacer]

Crap. You're right. Well, the motor doesn't turn over regardless, so it's coming out. I guess I'll just double check the clutch alignment with the tool and see what shakes out.

 

[CarRacer]

New fidanza clutch and flywheel. Clutch did work, I freshly bled it with an air powered bleeder.

 

[GVR4_1057]

Could it be a FWD flywheel? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[CarRacer]

That's what I thought too at first. I tried turning over the motor with a breaker bar and it wouldn't budge.

Could a misaligned clutch disk caught between the pp and crank bind up the motor?

 

[Andy_S]

Triple check your timing marks.

 

[GVR4_1057]

Maybe try loosening your transmission mounting bolts a bit and slide it 1/2" or so away from the engine and try to rotate it again.

 

Did you shim the clutch fork? I did this one time with to thick of a washer, and the fork locked the clutch in place.

 

[CarRacer]

All good suggestions so far, I appreciate them.

I'm 110% positive the timing marks are correct. I also turned over the motor a number of times before installing the tranny. Very possible mistake though.

I honestly don't remember if I shimmer the pivot ball or not. I know I was on the fence about doing so. I purchased a new fork, so I think I figured I was good and didn't. I remember having the pivot ball out, so I may have put a washer in there. There's been a lot to keep track of in this build and it's happened over a long time period too.

 

[Terry Posten]

Did you spin the motor over after the flywheel was torqued down?

Maybe the disk is not sitting on the crank right.

 

[fivestardsm]

Well did you leave the Balance Shafts in? If so, did you possibly leave your screwdiver or wahat ever in the inspection hole? Or possibly put a bolt that was to long?

Might want to check.

 

[fivestardsm]

Also, did the motor spin freely when you rebuilt it? Did you rebuild it?

 

[rgeier11]

Is the transmission in gear? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CarRacer]

I did rebuild the motor myself. Stock OEM type rebuild. Replaced rings and bearings. No balance shafts. I turned the motor while getting the timing belt installed. Turned over fine.

I didn't turn it over after installing tranny or clutch though. The motor did sit for a period of weeks after timing component install. I didn't touch the shifter cables at all, other than removing from the tranny mount.

I'm assuming something in the clutch/tranny installation is messed up.

 

[CarRacer]

Issue resolved.

Details here.

 

I like it when someone posts about how they fixed a problem they had posted about for everyone else's future reference. Im sure it will help everyone in the long run and cut down on unnecessary posts.

 

[cspetros]

^^I agree. Dead end posts are severely annoying.